Music

• Music listeners in Southeast Asia are shifting away from K-pop's long-standing dominance in favor of "Indo-pop," a rising domestic music scene in Indonesia. • Local artists such as Tenxi, Naykilla, and Jemsii are popularizing "hip-dut," a hybrid genre that blends hip-hop with traditional dangdut music. • Groups like No Na are further evolving the trend by packaging these domestic sounds into idol-group structures and orchestral compositions.

• The Shanghai film festival has excluded all Japanese movies this week, signaling a potential unofficial boycott of Japanese cultural exports. • While China has already imposed official restrictions on trade and tourism with Japan since November, no formal ban on the cultural sector has been announced. • This development suggests that diplomatic tensions between the two nations are now extending into the arts, music, and cinema industries.

Singer-songwriter Talay Riley worked on tracks for stars including Tinie Tempah, Britney Spears and Craig DavidStormzy and Oritsé Williams are among the artists who have paid tribute to the singer-songwriter Talay Riley, who was stabbed to death in Silvertown, east London.The 35-year-old musician, whose real name was Mark Orabiyi, was found with stab wounds by paramedics on the morning of 5 June and pronounced dead at the scene. Continue reading...

• The Globe and Mail has released its 2026 summer culture preview, featuring curated recommendations for film, television, music, and art exhibits. • Music highlights include a diverse range of genres from hip hop and country to "banjo-infused heavy punk," with reporter Josh O’Kane leading the coverage. • Major art exhibitions will feature a centenary celebration for landscape artist Takao Tanabe in British Columbia and circumpolar art displays in Ottawa.

Average tour earnings down 45%, with nearly three-fifths of musicians saying touring in Europe is no longer viableMore than a quarter of British musicians have lost all their EU work since 2021, according to new research.The report by European Movement UK, a cross-party campaign group advocating closer UK-EU relations, found that nearly half of UK musicians have seen their EU work reduced since 2021, while more than a quarter have lost it entirely. Continue reading...

Entrepreneur died of colon cancer, with Mobo Organisation hailing her as ‘one of the most fearless champions’ in the music industryKanya King, the entrepreneur and tireless champion of Black British music who founded the Mobo awards, has died aged 57 from colon cancer.The news was announced by the Mobo Organisation, who said she died on Wednesday “after a courageous and characteristically determined battle” with her illness. Continue reading...

• YouTube has announced the 2026 Music Foundry cohort, selecting four Indian artists as part of a global group of 24 musicians from 11 different countries. • The Indian acts join a diverse international class featuring artists such as Korean band Wave To Earth, American R&B singer Kelela, and U.K. pop artist MEEK. • This initiative highlights YouTube's commitment to fostering emerging global talent and expanding the reach of regional artists on a worldwide scale.

• Canada has reversed its plan to increase the Canadian-content levy for U.S.-based audiovisual streaming services. • The decision was announced on Wednesday, June 3, by Marc Miller, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages. • This policy shift impacts how streaming platforms contribute to the funding of domestic content, potentially reducing the financial burden on foreign services.

• Digital entertainment has evolved from distinct categories, such as television and music playlists, into a fluid, integrated experience. • The rise of streaming culture allows bedroom livestreamers and DJ sets to compete with or exceed the reach of traditional broadcasts. • This shift matters because it has accelerated the pace of pop culture, blurring the lines between professional media and creator-led content.

• Netflix Tudum is celebrating Black Music Month by highlighting a curated collection of 14 movies and shows that honor Black musical heritage. • The featured content includes documentaries on legendary figures such as Beyoncé and Quincy Jones, as well as the film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. • This initiative aims to provide viewers with a deeper exploration of the influence and artistry of Black musicians through streaming media.

Morris Day, Young MC and others balk at appearing at US’s 250th anniversary events organized by administrationAt least five of the nine featured musical acts set to play in a concert series organized by the Trump administration to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary have dropped out, just one day after the lineup was announced.The first to drop out, hours after Wednesday’s announcement, was Morris Day, who called his scheduled participation in the summer concert series on Washington DC’s National Mall a baseless “rumor”. Continue reading...

• BTS won the prestigious Artist of the Year award at the American Music Awards held in Las Vegas. • In other industry news, Zee Entertainment is currently negotiating broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup, while Baby Yoda continues to drive box office success. • The entertainment sector saw a mix of cultural milestones, including a restaurant boom sparked by Bad Bunny's concerts and the passing of jazz legend Sonny Rollins at age 95.

• BTS won the prestigious Artist of the Year award at the American Music Awards, marking a significant achievement for the global K-pop group. • Other notable winners during the ceremony included Sabrina Carpenter, Katseye, and Golden, who is featured in the film K-Pop Demon Hunters. • This victory underscores the continued dominance and growing influence of K-pop within the mainstream American music industry.

The British-born conductor will replace Gustavo Dudamel as the orchestra’s chief conductorThe Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced that Daniel Harding is to be its next music director.The UK-born Harding, 50, will begin his tenure in the 2027/28 season, with an initial contract for six years. Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra’s music director since 2009, leaves the role in August 2026 – the Venezuelan conductor is heading east to become music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic, but he will retain close connections with the Los Angeles orchestra as its artistic and cultural laureate. Continue reading...

• The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 maintained its status as a global television phenomenon, drawing millions of viewers across Europe and international markets. • Viewing patterns were highly polarized, with some nations achieving record-breaking ratings while others saw significant declines and historic lows. • These fluctuations in viewership were primarily driven by the strength of local contestants' results and varying levels of domestic interest.

• The UK Business and Trade Committee is calling for a comprehensive investigation into Live Nation to determine if the company holds an unfair market dominance over the live music industry. • The report describes a "climate of fear" among artists and promoters, alleging that the ticketing giant uses its scale to stifle competition and dictate terms. • This scrutiny follows growing concerns over predatory pricing, lack of transparency in ticketing fees, and the systemic exclusion of smaller independent operators.

Music is banned on Wednesdays on island of Stromboli where Rolling Stones frontman was celebrating wrapping a filmPolice on an Italian island stopped a party attended by Mick Jagger – because music is banned on Wednesdays.The Rolling Stones frontman was on Stromboli, the volcanic island among Sicily’s Aeolian archipelago, for the production of Three Incestuous Sisters, a film by the Italian director Alice Rohrwacher in which he stars. Continue reading...

Singer Skye Newman also highlights how becoming a performer is becoming inaccessible to those without moneyThe music industry risks becoming a more hostile place for working-class artists, musicians including Tinie Tempah and Skye Newman have said.Without work to save small music venues that act as cradles to nascent music scenes – as well as specific efforts to find and promote talent from diverse backgrounds – the industry is likely to miss out on the next big thing, they argued. Continue reading...

The singer was one of her country’s most’s popular musical exports, and travelled the world with an evangelistic vision for spreading cumbia musicTotó la Momposina, one of the most celebrated musicians in Colombian history, has died aged 85.Her three children announced her death from a heart attack on Instagram. “Totó was a woman who, with her voice and extraordinary dedication, carried the culture and memory of the Colombian people to the far corners of the world,” they added. Continue reading...

Grayson the Musical will explore ‘identity, creativity and self-acceptance … with life coaching from a six-foot teddy bear named Alan’Grayson Perry’s life story is to be told in an “outrageous” new stage musical co-created with the composer of Jerry Springer: The Opera.Grayson the Musical is a portrait of the artist from his childhood in Chelmsford to his international fame as a Turner prize-winning ceramicist, tapestry-maker and frock-lover. As well as fabulous dresses, the show will include a supporting role for Alan Measles, the beloved teddy bear who has featured in Perry’s work. Continue reading...

Kelvin Evans pleads guilty to stealing hard drives and laptops from a car before singer’s Atlanta tour dates in 2025A man arrested for stealing hard drives containing unreleased Beyoncé music has pleaded guilty in an Atlanta court on Tuesday.Kelvin Evans was arrested by the Atlanta police department in September in connection to a July 2025 car robbery where two suitcases containing Beyoncé music and tour plans were stolen from a rental car. Continue reading...

Deborah Conway describes anti-Zionism as a ‘genocidal impulse’ as inquiry hears how Jews are targeted with Nazi comparisonsJewish musicians have told a royal commission hearing that their views on Zionism made them the targets of vilification and boycotting.The royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion heard from Deborah Conway and Joshua Moshe on Monday: both were members of a Whatsapp group for Jewish creatives and academics, the contents of which was leaked by the media and some of the members’ personal information made public. Continue reading...

• MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 revealed nominees in 77 categories on Saturday, highlighting achievements in Japanese and global music. • The event celebrates international music connections with artists from Asia and worldwide ahead of the June 13, 2026 ceremony in Tokyo. • Nominees include top J-pop acts and K-pop groups, with categories spanning song of the year, artist of the year, and genre-specific awards.

• Megan Thee Stallion was spotted leaving the theater around 1:30 AM after taking her final bow in 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' in New York, concluding her guest star run. • The rap artist had been one of the production's standout guest stars during her time with the Broadway show. • Her departure from the musical marks the end of a notable crossover moment between hip-hop and Broadway theater.

• Sivakarthikeyan and director Venkat Prabhu's sci-fi epic 'SK 26' has been revived after previous delays, with the project moving forward with major script changes. • AR Rahman is reportedly in talks to compose music for the film, marking a potential collaboration between the acclaimed music director and the project. • Multiple actresses are being considered for key roles in the film as production gears up.

Delegates at event in Cape Verde highlight opportunities from tech while stressing AI is no replacement for talentLast July, the Nigerian singer-songwriter Fave found herself caught up in a viral moment: an unauthorised version of a track featuring an AI choir had been released, quickly becoming an internet sensation. To get ahead of the situation, she recorded her own remix that integrated the AI-assisted song and added it to her discography.“In my view, [that] was smart and very business aware,” Oyinkansola Fawehinmi, a Lagos-based entertainment lawyer, observed a few months later. “She essentially reclaimed the ‘AI version’ and released it as her own official expression.” Continue reading...

• The Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' launched with a massive $97 million opening in U.S. and Canada theaters, breaking the previous music biopic record of $60.2 million set by 'Straight Outta Compton' in 2015. • Co-produced by the Jackson estate and distributed by Lionsgate, the film overcame negative reviews and production troubles to achieve strong international performance with $120.4 million overseas. • The film's $217.4 million global opening marks a new high-water mark for music biopics, significantly outpacing 'Bohemian Rhapsody' which earned $51 million in its 2018 debut.

Teatro La Fenice called comments by its controversial appointee Beatrice Venezi ‘offensive and detrimental’Teatro La Fenice, the prestigious Venice opera house, has fired its incoming music director after she insinuated its hiring practices were nepotistic, with jobs “practically passed down from father to son”.After months of controversy over the appointment of Beatrice Venezi, La Fenice Foundation said on Sunday it had decided to “cancel all future collaborations” with the 36-year-old conductor and pianist. Continue reading...